Annual herb 3–15(–30) cm tall, erect; stems pubescent with long spreading crispate simple hairs. Leaves rather crowded, sessile, oblanceolate, 1.9–9.5 cm long, 0.4–1.8 cm wide, base attenuate, apex obtuse and apiculate, laxly scabridulous-pubescent with long hairs, glandular-punctate beneath. Capitula terminal or axillary, solitary or few together; stalks of individual capitula densely long-pubescent; involucre 10–15 mm long; phyllaries 3–4-seriate, lanceolate, 5–11 mm long, acute to attenuate, densely ascending-sericeous with long hairs, darker at the apices. Corolla violet to white, 6–7.5 mm long, lobes 1.5–2 mm long, with a few stiff hairs below the apex, with capitate glands. Achenes 2–2.8 mm long, 4–6-angled, ascending-pubescent on the angles, subglabrous on the faces; outer pappus of oblong or lanceolate scales, 0.7–1 mm long, inner pappus 6–7.5 mm long, tawny.
